Daisy Khan, a leader of the Park51 project that aims to build an Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero.

If the city’s landmarks commission votes Tuesday to approve the demolition of the 152-year-old former Burlington Coat Factory building on Park Place, as expected, the decision will make way for a 13-story Islamic community center near Ground Zero. But for organizers of the $100 million project, that will only be the beginning of a campaign to build public support for the controversial center.

As The Journal reported, backers of the project now plan to include a memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in bid to allay the concerns of critics who see the mosque’s location as insensitive.

Metropolis sat down with Daisy Khan, one of the founders of Park51, as the Islamic center will be known, to discuss the heated backlash to the project. During the interview, Khan described her vision for the center as an open and inclusive place for Muslims to gather for arts programs, social events, fitness and education.

She also emphasized that the center will be open for interfaith programs and insisted that it will “repair the breach” caused by the terrorist attacks. The center, she says, will try to make inroads through food: “We will cater to the lunch crowd — a religion becomes accepted in any country once it’s food is accepted.”

Here are selected excerpts from the interview.

Metropolis:What is the ultimate goal of this community center?

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The former Burlington Coat Factory building that will make way for an Islamic center located near Ground Zero.

Daisy Khan: To create a deep tolerance in intra-faith affairs. It’s a place for Muslims to come together in a place where divisions would gradually peel away and a new vision of Islam that is culturally American would emerge.

Metropolis: You have been in the Lower Manhattan community for nearly three decades with Masjid Al-Farah without controversy. How do you explain the opposition to Park51?

Khan: No one should be asked to leave their neighborhood. This is our neighborhood and we’ve been part of it for 27 years. Our opponents are not from this neighborhood…We were shut down for four weeks after 9/11. The sad part was that we felt victimized like everyone else in New York because it was our city that was attacked but we were never given permission to mourn.

We’ve decided to own the tragedy of 9/11 and we’ve heard and felt [the families of the 9/11 victims] pain and we’re extending ourselves. We want to repair the breach and be at the front and center to start the healing. A world full of hatred and suspicion and ignorance is not going to serve anyone’s interest.

Metropolis:How do you respond to those who say the center will be seen as a memorial to the perpetrators of 9/11?

Khan: We have tried very hard to de-link Islam from acts of terrorists. They are a very destructive force, but they are a fraction of a fraction. It’s painful to see our opponents deliberately link our efforts with terrorists. It’s hurtful and un-American to blame an entire group or the actions of a few, but we take comfort in knowledge that it’s happened to other people before us and they eventually did prevail.

Khan: We ourselves believe very strongly in anti-defamation. Libel is something that is not acceptable in Islam. We’d hoped that the ADL would stand up for all religions including Islam. We personally know the leadership of the ADL and worked with them before. We are surprised by their position and do not believe they said this. We think they were pressured to take this position by the political climate.

Metropolis:What are the features of the planned center that people may not have heard about?

Khan: There will be shopping and a restaurant. We will cater to the lunch crowd — a religion becomes accepted in any country once it’s food is accepted. There is no one Muslim food, but falafel has made serious inroads in America. Biryani is not far behind.

Metropolis:What element of the fallout from this proposed center concerns you most?

Khan: If moderate people like us can be so maligned what is the hope for our future civic leaders? The biggest concern that I have is that this not have any adverse impact on future Muslim generations. That is why we’re committing ourselves to having this national conversation. This project is no longer a local issue and I’m saddened by the rhetoric that has been associated with it, but this conversation needs to be taken to people who haven’t heard it before.